Eye of Tropical Cyclone Funso (08S) – January 28th, 2012

Tropical Cyclone Funso (08S), located approximately 420 nm east of Maputo, Mozambique, had tracked southeastward at 06 knots over the past six hours.

Animated infrared satellite imagery depicts an eye that is beginning to become more ragged with warming cloud tops near the eyewall. Satellite imagery is also showing the beginning of the breakdown of the eyewall in the northwest quadrant, and animated satellite water vapor imagery shows that deep convection is weakening rapidly.

The current intensity is based on the high side of Dvorak estimates at 90 knots based on the presence of the eye feature. The current position is based on a the eye feature with high confidence. TC 08S is tracking slowly south-southeastward along the western periphery of the deep subtropical ridge (STR) and is forecast to accelerate southeastward as it rounds the STR and re-curves into the midlatitude westerlies.

The system will continue to weaken as it encounters cooler sea surface temperatures within the next 12-24 hours and as it encounters increasing vertical wind shear after TAU 12. Near TAU 24, Funso is expected to begin extra-tropical transition (ETT) and should complete ETT by TAU 36. Maximum significant wave height is 28 feet.